Wasps are social creatures who build their nests to raise and breed their young ones. They build their colonies either on overhang areas, underground sites or form a nest in connection with external structures. The nests made by paper wasps, yellow jackets and hornets comprise of paper. Nests created by the wasps can be easily recognized. They built umbrella or balloon shaped nests with an exit/entrance hole present at the extremity. Queen lays eggs inside the stacked combs’ protective layer of paper surrounds the stacked combs which are layered by the worker wasps.

Some wasps create n nest by digging holes or forming cavities inside the ground. Mud daubers used mud to build their nests. Paper wasps build their nests in attics, garage or walls. They create nests with household materials such as insulation, wood, and wallpapers.Wasps form their nests in obscured, quiet places.Wasps build this papery substance by chewing wood particles with mandible and mixing saliva with them.After which they spread this mixture through front legs on the outer area of the nest for additional protection.This layer protects their young ones from predators.Wasps inhabit their nests for one season and eventually die off in winters.

Signs of Wasp Nests

Wasps are difficult to differentiate from bees as they both have a similar appearance. They slightly vary in sizes; wasps are larger in size and more defined. Both of them have yellow and black markings. Wasps are usually of two types solitary and social ones. The nests created by the wasps differ in construction, size, appearance or material. They often appear straw or grayish colored.We can identify a wasp activity by seeing markings on garden furniture or wooden fence. One can usually see wasps in summer or spring season. You can usually find their nests in sheds, holes, sheltered or unexposed areas.

Best Ways of Getting Rid of Wasp’s Nest

Make a plan first

1. Ensure that you are not hypersensitive to wasp’s sting

Consult your doctor and make sure that you are not allergic to wasp sting by performing an allergic test.If your allergic test is negative, you can continue and attack the nests.If your allergy test is positive ask an exterminator or any other individual to help you tackle the wasp’s nest as it may cause a life-threatening condition.

2. Find out what type of wasp nest you have

Identify the wasp species before you deal with them so that you know the best ways to prevent their infestation. You can ask for help to identify the species either by the entomologist or control district of your vector. You will have to deal with a variety of different wasp species.

These type of insects have black, thick antennae with short legs. They prefer to live in enclosed spaces like ground cavities or wall voids. They build their nests in a paper-looking fashion. At times they may be highly aggressive, violent in swarms and may sting for multiple times.

Paper wasps:

They have long legs and bodies. They build exposed nests which are vast and visible. They build their nests in sheltered areas like enclosed pipes or home’s enclaves. If you bother them, they may sting you which is highly painful and poisonous in nature.

Hornets:

These are the largest species of social wasps. The most common variety found in North America is the bald-faced hornet, it has white markings on thorax and head. Another variety is the European Hornet which has orange and brown markings. The Hornets build their paper nests which you can see in wall cavities and tree trunks.

3. Wear protective clothing

One can wear protective clothing while attempting to remove wasp’s nest, to keep you away from getting a wasp’s sting. Wasp’s sting is painful even if you are not allergic to it.

Wear socks, boots, long jeans, gloves and a sweater along with hood so that it can cover your head. You can protect the lower border of your face by wrapping a scarf around your neck.

To protect your eyes wear ski goggles or protective glasses.

Make sure you wear old clothes while utilizing a pesticide spray because the residue may enter your fabric.Discard or wash your clothes immediately after using pesticide.

4. Never stand on a ladder to reach a high wasp nest

If you find a wasp nest high above your level like on a branch of tree or edge of a two-three story house, do not make use of a ladder to reach a wasp nest on height.

If you try to hold on a wasp nest with ladder, you will most likely fall and injure yourself when the flies attack you as soon as you disturb their nest.

You can control the following situation by calling a professional exterminator, or you can get rid of wasps by the smoke method.

When the wasp’s nest is easily within your limits then only you should make an attempt to get rid of it.

5. Make sure no children are present

Verify the area is free from children if you are working to clean the wasps by powder or pesticide spray.You should protect the area from pets or children for at least 24 hours because the pesticides used for killing wasps are poisonous and incredibly durable.

If you find dead wasps on the ground or near the nest immediately remove them as the pets or other animals may feed on these wasps and get poisoned.

6. Destroy wasp nest at night

If you are planning to remove the wasp nests yourself, the best time to do so is to clean it at night. Because at night the wasps are less active, they are not aggressive, and they give a slight reaction if you disturb their nest.

Avoid using flashlights while viewing the nest as this may attract the wasps. You should use amber or red colored light while performing the treatment at night so that the wasps are easily visible.

You can make use of morning light and target the wasp’s nest early morning when the wasps are not that active.

7. Plan an escape route

Before you start attacking wasps make sure you make a getaway plan as the swarms of wasps will attack you. So, you need to be highly attentive before you try to remove any wasps by spraying on them.

Plan an escape route to protect yourself from wasp streams.

To prevent yourself from tripping over remove all the obstacles such as gardening equipment or children’s toys.

Destroy the nest

1. Use a pesticide spray

Buy a pesticide spray from a hardware store or local supermarket for exterminating the wasps. Follow the safety measures before you use a pesticide spray. Spray the pesticide and leave the area overnight. If you still find wasps repeat the spraying process. Once you find the wasps are dead, break the nest with a stick.Remove the wasps and nest immediately.

2. Use insecticidal dust

To remove the nests formed by Yellowjackets use an insecticidal dust which is more efficient than aerosol sprays.Sprinkle the dust early morning or at night near the nest openings and avoid blocking them.

3. Use dish soap

Prepare a solution by mixing water and soap. This mixture will coat the wasp’s wings and result in their drowning. Add ¼ cup of dish soap to 1-2 liters of hot water and pour it in the targeted areas. It is very efficient if it comes in contact with the wasps.

4. Use smoke

Lit a fire on a grill or form a small fireplace beneath the nest so that as the smoke rises above, it will help in killing the wasps by suffocating them.Leave the smoke for 2-3 hours until you find wasps leaving the place or found dead.It is effective for aerial nests rather than the ones found on the ground.

5. Use water

Cover the nest with cloth bag and string it tightly. Put a bucket full of water under the nest and place the cloth bag in water with a dense stone above it which will result in drowning the wasps by leaving it overnight.

How to Prevent the Wasps from Rturning

1. Seal entry points

Inspect your house during the winter season and look for entry points of potential wasps such as unsealed vents, loose sidings and window cracks or breaks within door frames. Seal the ideal locations of wasp nests and prevent the infestation of wasps during the spring season.

2. Knock down vacant nests during the winter

Remove all the empty wasp nests during the winter months so that other species can not build new nests over the old ones. It is advisable to knock down the empty nests and thoroughly clean the desired area.

3. Make sure to seal your garbage cans

Seal the trash cans as the old food may spread a scent which is attracted by the wasps.Clean your garbage cans with water and disinfectant so that no leftover food attracts the wasps.

4. Be careful with fruit trees

If you plant fruit trees, make sure that rotted and fallen fruits are not present near your house as it is a source of attraction for wasps. Harvest your ripe fruit regularly and pick up the fallen fruits and dispose of them before they attract wasps.

5. Hang fake nests

Hang the fake wasp nests on the trees planted near your house because wasps are territorial by nature due to which they do not form nests near others colony. You can buy artificial nests from a hardware store or gardening centers.An alternative to Artificial nests is to hang brown colored paper bags.

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